El tiempo pasa demasiado lento y demasiado rápido.

La dificultad de despedirse

07/06/2011

Making friends here has been delightfully uncomplicated. Almost all the Argentines I’ve met have been de muy buena onda, as the saying goes. Outgoing, easygoing, and I can’t think of another adjective that ends with -going, but you get the idea. Not to mention they’re curious about the States, and whatever their opinion may be of our government they are very interested in picking an American’s brain for a while.

Add in the fact that the Universidad Nacional de La Plata attracts exchange students from all over the world, and you’ve got a recipe for a delicious stew of cultures. Mmmm…multicultural understanding and friendship…tasty.

Left to right behind me: American, Argentine, Colombian, German

Unintentionally creepy metaphors aside, it has been an absolute pleasure getting to know the kids (and adults) here. I’ve had both good old-fashioned fun and intense discussion on every topic imaginable. And out of that, I really feel like I’ve developed some great relationships. Which, of course, is going to make it all the more difficult to say goodbye. Ain’t that how it goes.

But to paraphrase the old cliché, it is better to have made a friend in a foreign country and potentially not see him again than to never to have met him at all. Plus if you come back to visit, you can probably crash on his couch.

I also take a lot of comfort in knowing that I’ve forged bonds just as strong with my fellow W&M students. The shared experience of living in Argentina, with all the difficulties, good times, craziness, and inside jokes that come along with it, is something that we’ll always have in common.